The MiniNec ground I was referring to is the one that is implemented as a ground type in Nec2. This is the version of MiniNec ground for the latest version of MiniNec. There are many problems with this ground type as to fit in the basic program on the types of PC's it was intended to run on, they took many shortcuts, often simply defaulting to the settings of Perfect Ground, and it doesn't take much experimentation to show this. This is why, unlike other attempts at grounding, this type of ground that are meant to simulate "Real Ground" the MiniNec ground will always show a current maxima at the ground connection. It is the least accurate of all ground types, period, end of story. There is one seeming advantage to it, and that is the appearance of being able to connect part of the antenna to it directly, but this actually produces inaccurate results.
Using Real Ground, instead of the MiniNec ground, I can actually show the differences between the number of radials that are (in the model) just above and effectively on the earth. As I add more and more radials to this system, I can see R drop as I maintain resonance, and it drops through 50 ohms to a lower impedance. This effect has been demonstrated by multiple people with actual test antennas. With the MiniNec ground, you cannot do that. All you have is an antenna directly attached to the earth, no radials present, and it shows significantly more gain than actual real ground unless real ground has a ton of radials present, and FYI, real ground was, in part, specifically designed to show accurate results for this type of setup.
The MiniNec ground is also known to be by far the least accurate ground type available in the Nec2 engine. You say that many programs out there update this ground, and that is true, but when I refer to the MiniNec ground, I am specifically referring to the implementation in the Nec2 engine, which is the same as most recent implementation in the latest actual version of MiniNec, and the one used when you said x ground mounted antenna will outperform y antenna mounted 10 feet in the air. Its also why I gave pushback on that.
And you are treating the MiniNec program, or at least the MiniNec ground, like it is better than it actually is. There is one thing that MiniNec does better then Nec2, and that is tapering, this is actually because of how MiniNec handles segments, and in the opinion of someone who has used both modeling engines, this is the one thing that MiniNec has that I wish they implemented in the Nec2 engine. With everything else, and I mean everything, the Nec2 results are superior.
I'm not trying to talk bad about the author of MIniNec, and I'm glad that there are programs out there like Mmana-Gal that have improved on the MiniNec code. If I knew how to code at that level, I would create a version for myself.
The DB
